Wine Wisdom: Springtime for bubbly

Wednesday

May 19, 2010 at 12:01 AMMay 19, 2010 at 6:16 PM

When we think of bubbly, champagne immediately comes to mind. It's the lofty standard for sparkling wine the world over. Americans consume champagne mainly to celebrate special occasions, such as graduations or weddings.

Mark P. Vincent

When we think of bubbly, champagne immediately comes to mind. It's the lofty standard for sparkling wine the world over. Americans consume champagne mainly to celebrate special occasions, such as graduations or weddings.

Since this is the celebration season, let's explore the wonders of bubbly. By bubbly, I mean all sparkling wine, not just champagne. Sparklers are made in a wide number of wine regions globally. So much is good or great - whether it comes from Australia, California, France, Germany, Israel, Italy, New Mexico, New York or Spain.

Beyond its celebratory nature, sparkling wine is a great aperitif and is very food friendly. It complements a wider array of foods than most other wines could ever hope to accompany. Take eggs, for example, one of the trickiest food items to pair with wine. Sparking wine works superbly.

Top sparklers are produced by taking still wine, blending and bottling it, and adding a little sugar and yeast, before capping the bottle. The yeast causes a secondary fermentation to take place in the bottle, creating bubbles. Bottles are stored upside down during this process and after the lees of dead yeast settle into the neck of the bottle, the neck is frozen, the cap removed and the wine disgorged, removing the sediment, while preserving the fizz. The bottle is topped off with a dosage, and the classic cork is inserted.

For less expensive sparklers, this secondary fermentation occurs in tanks rather than bottles. While considered inferior to bottle fermentation, some pleasant wines are made this way. Used for cava from Spain and prosecco from Italy, the results are entirely satisfactory and genuine bargains.

I've had the pleasure of tasting a terrific array of bubblies from Pol Roger and Taittinger, two of my favorites. While the Pol Roger Sir Winston Churchill ($250) and Taittinger's Comtes de Champagne ($175) and its sister rose ($250), were spectacular, I came away from the tastings impressed with how good their regular champagnes are at far more palatable pricing.

Due to economic conditions, champagne imports to the U.S. are down dramatically this year, and that means savings for wine lovers. It's not unusual to find retailers offering significantly discounted prices. Pol Roger Brut ($50) and Taittinger Brut La Francaise ($45) aren't usually inexpensive, but both can be found on sale for far less today.

Because most champagnes benefit from a few months of aging, I usually recommend storing them for 12 to 18 months before drinking them. Taittinger Brut La Francaise is an exception; it's perfect to drink when you buy it because Taittinger ages it four years before release instead of the required 15 months for champagne. It's smooth, creamy and delicious, making it one of my favorites.

Heidsieck Monopole Blue Top ($42) is also elegant and widely available today at discounted prices of $25 to $30 at many retailers.

A recent discovery is Aubry, a small, unknown champagne house that makes its Aubry Brut Champagne ($44) exclusively from Grand Cru vineyards. While Grand Cru champagnes usually range upwards of $90, Aubry offers spectacular value. I recently purchased it on sale for $30. It's the essence of finesse and delicacy, and you can't help but love it. Champagne Charles de Cazenova ($39) is another lesser-known champagne that delivers delectable flavors at value pricing.

Want to taste spectacular sparklers from France without paying champagne prices? Try other wine regions, making wines called cremants. Domaines des Baumard's Cremant de Loire ($18) is exceptional. Domaine Rolet's Cremant du Jura ($19), from a region near the Swiss border, is also incredibly good. Rolet's Coeur de Chardonnay ($22) would be double its price if not from an obscure region.

Life is precious and we should celebrate it, not just its highlight moments. The passing of my companion, Liz Falcone, recently reinforced that philosophy for me. Liz loved champagne and taught me it's the perfect summer drink, when chilled right. At her memorial next week, her family and I will toast her memory with a bottle of 1998 Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin La Grande Dame Brut, a fitting tribute to a truly great lady. I will remember her fondly every time I pop a champagne cork, and that will be often.

Enjoy.

Contact Mark P. Vincent at winewisdom@yahoo.com.

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